Vidhi Codex

The National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988

The National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988

Infrastructure198836 sections

The National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988, is a national law that established the National Highways Authority of India as a public corporate body. It regulates the development, maintenance, and management of India's national highway network. The law applies to the central government, authority officials, contractors, and landowners whose properties are acquired for road construction. This legislation matters because it centralized highway transit infrastructure under one professional entity. By facilitating efficient land acquisition, fundraising, and modernized construction, the act drives nationwide economic development and provides citizens with safer, faster, and more reliable road travel across the entire country.

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  1. 1. Short title, extent and commencement.
  2. 2. Definitions.
  3. 3. Constitution of the Authority.
  4. 4. Disqualifications for appointment as member.
  5. 6. Eligibility of member for reappointment.
  6. 7. Meetings.
  7. 8. Vacancy in the Authority not to invalidate proceedings.
  8. 9. Appointment of officers, consultants and other employees of the Authority.
  9. 10. Authority to act on business principles.
  10. 11. Power of the Central Government to vest or entrust any national highway in the Authority.
  11. 12. Transfer of assets and liabilities of the Central Government to the Authority.
  12. 13. Compulsory acquisition of land for the Authority
  13. 14. Contracts by the Authority
  14. 15. Mode of executing contracts on behalf of the Authority
  15. 16. Functions of the Authority
  16. 17. Grants and loans by the Central Government
  17. 18. Fund of the Authority
  18. 19. Budget
  19. 20. Investment of funds
  20. 21. Borrowing powers of the Authority
  21. 22. Annual Report
  22. 23. Accounts and audit
  23. 24. Annual Report and Auditor’s report to be laid before Parliament
  24. 25. Delegation of powers
  25. 26. Authentication of orders and other instruments of the Authority
  26. 27. Employees of the Authority to be public servants
  27. 28. Protection of action taken in good faith
  28. 29. Power of the Authority to undertake certain works
  29. 30. Power to enter
  30. 31. Power of the Central Government to temporarily divest the Authority of the management of national highway
  31. 32. Supersession of Authority
  32. 33. Power of the Central Government to issue directions
  33. 34. Power of the Central Government to make rules
  34. 35. Power of the Authority to make regulations
  35. 36. Power to remove difficulties.
  36. 37. Rules and regulations to be laid before Parliament.

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